Quick Tip: LEED-Certified Means Green Building

We'll tell you why you should get acquainted with this new term if you want to live in a sustainable and healthy building.

What is LEED Certification?As green building hits the mainstream, you’ll continue to hear many new terms. One of them is LEED certification. L-E-E-D, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a set of green building techniques and standards that make it easier for state and local governments, builders, architects, designers and homeowners to build sustainable and healthy buildings.

LEED certification program standards are set by committees selected from all parts of the building industry and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. These standards can be used in both existing buildings and new ones.

How Are LEED Ratings Determined?LEED rates the whole building in five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Why do LEED-certified buildings save money and energy? LEED-certified buildings conserve energy and water and cost less to operate. They send less waste to landfills and less greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Best of all, they’re healthier and safer for the people who live and work in them. As an added bonus, LEED-certified projects also qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities nationwide.

LEED certification doesn’t just make homes, schools, commercial buildings and neighborhoods more efficient and healthy. It also makes them more profitable and enduring. So, hiring a LEED-accredited professional for your next big project can be a win-win situation.